


Pinky Promise

by hubdub15



Series: Sidelines [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, F/M, Healing, Honeymoon phase might be wearing off for the babies, Might revise later, Not beta-read, Some Fluff, be warned, it's angsty folks, relationship drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28787880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hubdub15/pseuds/hubdub15
Summary: What happens between Kanna and Bokuto after they leave the bar. Keep in mind, spoilers for Kuroo's installment of 'Off the Court' within.
Relationships: Bokuto Koutarou/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Sidelines [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2110578
Kudos: 1





	Pinky Promise

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a part of my series 'Sidelines', drabbles and supplemental stories from my series 'Off the Court'. Is it not necessary to read 'Off the Court' to understand these, but it is highly recommended as you may be a little lost with characters and storylines if you do not.

“I said don’t touch me.” Kanna smacked his hand away when Bokuto tried to hold hers. “I’m taking the train home. I can’t even be in the same car as you right now.”

They were now outside the bar, just a few moments after Kanna had stormed out. She was furious. They were actually starting to talk about what happened before he left when the alarm bell rang in the back office, alerting there was a problem out on the floor. Because it was after closing, Kanna assumed someone was trying to get in to be served and just needed a quick ‘by your leave’, but it was so much worse. Not only was Kuroo in her bar bothering her cousin, Bokuto had helped him do it, going against her again. At this point, she wondered if he cared about her feelings at all.

“Bean—

“If the next words out of your mouth are going to be ‘I’m sorry’, you can keep that bullshit to yourself because it obviously means nothing.”

“But I am.” He pleaded. “Can we stop and talk?”

“No.” She continued to walk towards the nearest train station, not caring if Bokuto was following. He could disappear right now for all she cared, in fact, she might prefer that at the moment.

“Kuroo called me when I was overseas, he was so upset, Kanna. He didn’t know what was going on. He asked for my help to have a chance to talk to Nozomi since she’s been ghosting him and you banned him from the bar. What was I supposed to do?”

“You should have told him to figure it out for himself.” She replied. “Instead of helping him to hurt my family just like he hurt Hisami.”

“He’s not hurting Nozomi, he wanted to talk to her to find out what he did wrong. And he didn’t intentionally hurt Hisami.”

“You’re _defending_ him! What he did!” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was this really how he was trying to prove his point?

“I’m not defending what he did to Hisami. It was awful. But we can’t hold it over his head forever. He’s admitted to and apologized for it.”

“He apologized. That makes everything better.” Kanna replied sarcastically.

“Kanna, it was over six years ago. And I know that when he broke up with her it hurt him just as much.” She knew he was serious when he used her real name. That didn’t bode well for her chances of him dropping this.

“Don’t feed me that.” She stopped abruptly and turned to face him, holding a finger up to stop him.“He wasn’t in a depression for over a year. He didn’t have his entire world ripped out from under him. She still has trust issues. She has nightmares that Ushijima will abandon her. And if it did hurt Kuroo, he wouldn’t have done it in the first place. He kept living his life and hers stopped. Who’s to say he won’t do the exact same with Nozomi? I won’t have him hurt her. And if you don’t agree with me, then stay out of it.”

“You can’t protect her from everything.”

Kanna stopped in her tracks at Bokuto’s voice before turning slowly to face him. He stood where he had been before, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face while he watched her. “Excuse me?”

“Nozomi’s an adult, you two are the same age. She has to make her own decisions, even if she gets hurt.” He explained. “Not every guy she meets is going to be like her ex.”

“Including the man who did exactly what her ex did to Hisami?”

Bokuto frowned. “You know I’m right.”

“Is that why you went behind my back? I’m wrong and you’re right?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Must be, or else you wouldn’t keep doing it.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “I guess what I think and feel doesn’t matter as much as what you think is right.”

She took a little pride in knowing he couldn’t respond to that while he looked down at his shoes, some of the wind visibly leaving him at her words. He had to know now this fight wasn’t entirely about him helping Kuroo. She was still upset about his lunch with that female manager and his unintentional deception. She had explained too many times how him keeping their meeting from her had hurt. There was no wise response that would work without invalidating her feelings.

She started to walk in the direction nearest train station but could still hear Bokuto following her down the street. He took a few steps back when she turned around again and glared at him, his eyes widening at her rage. “Stop following me. I want to be alone.”

“I just want to make sure you get home okay.” Bokuto murmured. She looked at him for several moments, shuffling back and forth on his feet unsure before she sighed dejectedly. Even when she was so upset, she was unable to deny the pleading in his eyes. She turned around instead and continued on her way home. On the train, he sat several seats away from her, but still close enough to help if anything happened.

His continued presence was sustaining her anger. Every time she looked at him, she would think of Nozomi and Kuroo back at the bar, and how Bokuto had helped him, going behind her back. That thought led to her circling back to his not one, but two secret meetings with that old manager, Yukie. Kanna didn’t even know what she looked like and she wanted to rip her hair out. Was she prettier than Kanna? Funnier? Did she make Bokuto laugh? Did Bokuto want her close like he always wanted Kanna?

When they finally made it home, Kanna went straight into the bathroom and locked the door behind her so he couldn’t follow. She wanted to go back to the bar to check on Nozomi, but she knew Bokuto wouldn’t let her. For some reason, he had Kuroo’s back for this one, and it was pissing her off. She just needed to be mad right now so she could work through and get over it.

She drew a bath and settled into the scalding water, staying in until it was long cold. She had been having problems with her joints lately from exhaustion. Sometimes a long soak was the only thing that helped them feel better. When she finally exited, she wrapped herself in her warmest pajamas. She noticed Bokuto had placed a cup noodle on her nightstand, cold from the amount of time she spent in the bathroom.

Kanna left it in place and pulled her book out to settle in bed but was unable to focus on any of the words. She knew deep down Bokuto was right, but she didn’t want to admit it. Nozomi was an adult, she _should_ make her own decisions. But besides Kanna’s father and Kanna herself, she had absolutely no family in the world. She had moved to Tokyo to try to start fresh, and it had just resulted in a dead-end relationship with a boy who took everything from her and left her with less than nothing. Kanna had seen the warning signs but had stepped back at Nozomi’s request when she said she was fine. She should have pushed, maybe then Nozomi wouldn’t have been hurt so badly.

She should have done the same when she found out the mystery man Nozomi had been going on dates with was none other than Kuroo Tetsurō, the same man that had hurt Hisami. Again, Kanna stepped back when Nozomi asked because she wanted to respect her wishes although Kanna’s wish was to castrate him the moment she saw him enter her bar. And again, Kuroo had hurt her loved ones. She didn’t want to know the whole story, didn’t need it. He made Nozomi cry, that was all she needed to know.

Her rational side was screaming out though. If Bokuto was supporting Kuroo on this, then he obviously couldn’t have done something so horrible. There had to be some kind of misunderstanding. Bokuto was very black-and-white about most things, not dealing with grays. Kuroo must have told him his side of the story, and Bokuto didn’t find he did anything wrong. Then again, Bokuto still remained friends with Kuroo after the nuclear fallout of Hisami and Kuroo’s breakup. She wondered if he had some insight on that as well she didn’t know, but again, she didn’t want or need to know. Her friend’s tears were enough of an explanation.

“Bean?” Kanna looked up from her book to see Bokuto standing in the doorway to their bedroom, looking unsure. He wrung his hands together, his eyes darting from her to his empty side of the bed and back. “Should I set up the couch?”

“No.” She finally allowed with a sigh.

Bokuto took that as permission to climb into bed with her, sliding under the covers. Instead of reaching for her to snuggle into her shoulder like he normally did when she was reading, he stayed on his side of the bed. The space between them felt like a chasm. She put her book to the side and settled down under the covers, back to her boyfriend. She knew he was still awake after several minutes when she felt him move next to her, his hand resting on her hip a moment later. She resisted the involuntary shudder that ran over her skin when his fingers gently traced the exposed skin at her waistband.

“Are you still mad?” He murmured.

“Yes.” She answered. “But I still love you. Being mad won’t change that. I just need some time to cool down.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Bokuto told her after several more minutes of silence where neither were able to sleep. “With meeting Yukie and not telling you. I promise, she’s just an old friend. I wanted her help on making something that might help fight the soreness you’ve had lately, that’s what the second meeting was about. She was bringing me recipes we could make together.”

Now she really felt like a dick. He had been trying to do something nice to her, and she immediately heard he was with another girl and assumed the worst. Why did she even doubt him in the first place? She knew why, she didn’t deserve him. She was stubborn, jealous, and way too needy for most to deal with in a relationship, but he indulged her every step of the way. She knew he wouldn’t, but a tiny voice kept reminding her that eventually, he would tire of her and finally leave. Every other boyfriend did. 

Bokuto used her silence as a chance to continue speaking as he pulled her close until her back was flush against him with his arms wrapped securely around her waist.

“And I know you don’t want to hear this, but Kuroo isn’t as horrible as you think he is. He made a dumb decision in high school that caused Hisami pain, but look where she is now. She’s so much better. She moved past it. He moved past her too. He’s crazy about Nozomi, that’s why I helped him. The way he talks about her is the same way I talk about you. I wanted to help my friend. I didn’t take sides. But if I did, I would be on yours.”

“Then why do that when you know how I feel about him?” She turned in bed to face him. “Nozomi’s been hurt too many times. I don’t want that to happen again.”

“Because he’s not an inherently bad person.” He reached up and brushed a piece of hair away from her forehead tenderly. “He did something wrong. That’s not his entire personality though. And I know he wouldn’t hurt Nozomi. But not being able to see or talk to her was hurting him. I just wanted to help him out.”

Kanna reluctantly considered his point. Nozomi had been happier than she had been in a long time when she and Kuroo were together, as much as Kanna hated to admit it. He brought out a light in her that had become rare in the past few years. He was good for her and hadn’t given any indication that he was going to hurt her. The only thing holding Kanna back was how wrecked Nozomi had been when she had arrived at her apartment just a week before and her cousin had sobbed in her arms telling her how Kuroo was in love with someone else, seemingly stringing Nozomi along. Just recalling that memory made Kanna want to punch Kuroo in the face until his teeth fell out.

“Please, just don’t interfere. Let them figure it out for themselves.” He could somehow feel her discomfort and rested his hand on her cheek. “If I’m wrong, you can tell me ‘I told you so’ all you want.”

“Promise?”

He held up a clenched hand, pinky extended up. “Pinky promise.”

She rolled her eyes at him but held up her own fist and wrapped her pink around his large one as best she could. He kissed his side gently, never breaking his gaze from her.

“I love you so much.” He murmured.

Kanna smiled softly and leaned in to place a kiss on his lips, murmuring it back to him. . She was still upset, but her feelings for him were stronger. She would be fine by the morning. His heart was in the right place, it always was. It was one of his best qualities. It was why she loved him. She knew their relationship couldn’t be sunshine and rainbows all the time, and this would just make them stronger in the end. They would talk more in the morning, actually communicate their feelings when tensions weren’t so high. For now, they could just heal with each other’s touch.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Until next time~


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